Using "Fairness" when it comes to Economic matters is a pretty pathetic argument considering the Economic system this country tries to express is Free Market Capitalism. You know... the only system in the History of Mankind to promote the fastest growth Economically and the best system in place for the Poor to enter the Middle Class or higher.

I am worried that, if the current trends continue, the rich will soon own nearly everything and the rest of us will own nearly nothing. It concerns many other thoughtful wealthy people as well. I am surprised it doesn't worry you as well.

An Appeal to Fear fallacy of the "Evil Rich" taking every possible resource imaginable then enslaving the masses isn't going to work. The current system that enslaves people throughout History is an overreaching Government behemoth that enslaves its people. Stop feeding the monster.

"As soon as men decide that all means are permitted to fight an evil, then their good becomes indistinguishable from the evil that they set out to destroy."

Using "Fairness" when it comes to Economic matters is a pretty pathetic argument considering the Economic system this country tries to express is Free Market Capitalism. You know... the only system in the History of Mankind to promote the fastest growth Economically and the best system in place for the Poor to enter the Middle Class or higher. An Appeal to Fear fallacy of the "Evil Rich" taking every possible resource imaginable then enslaving the masses isn't going to work. The current system that enslaves people throughout History is an overreaching Government behemoth that enslaves its people. Stop feeding the monster.

It is not a fallacy to examine the trend lines for the disparity of wealth in this country and be fearful of the obvious extrapolation. You can say that we have the best system for the poor to enter the middle class, but, in the past 30 years, that system has been damaged and is in need of a tuneup....imo.

Why does the United States of America require a massive standing army? Massive troop deployments are becoming a thing of the past with the technology coming out today.

It is not a fallacy to examine the trend lines for the disparity of wealth in this country and be fearful of the obvious extrapolation. You can say that we have the best system for the poor to enter the middle class, but, in the past 30 years, that system has been damaged and is in need of a tuneup....imo.

If you read my comment is specifies "...this country tries to express is Free Market Capitalism." in which the generation(s) in which the country has slumped is due in large part because of that divergence. The increase of the welfare system, Militarism, Imperialism, Corporatocracy, Gold backed currency to FIAT, creation of the Federal Reserve and other issues have created the disparity of wealth. The worry shouldn't be placed on the Mega Wealthy getting wealthier... It's what I typed earlier about the Government itself growing to the point it suffocates everything.

"As soon as men decide that all means are permitted to fight an evil, then their good becomes indistinguishable from the evil that they set out to destroy."

Partly because he gave over $4 million to charity. And he paid 15% effective rate in 2011. All total he paid over $3 million in taxes, over $6 million combine 2010-11. The effective income tax rate on the middle quintile is 3.3%.http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxfa....cfm?Docid=456

So do you just want to grab a higher percentage from the high earners of more revenue?

I am worried that, if the current trends continue, the rich will soon own nearly everything and the rest of us will own nearly nothing. It concerns many other thoughtful wealthy people as well. I am surprised it doesn't worry you as well.

You fallaciously believe wealth and income are fixed, there is only a set amount.

"In a rich society, no one should be allowed to suffer from deprivation such as homelessness, starvation and illness. This ideal is essential, not simply as a matter of human good, but as the price we pay for a measure of domestic tranquility."
John Kenneth Galbraith

[/QUOTE]

A man whose ideas have been totally discredited.

""What kind of society isn't structured on greed? The problem of social organization is how to set up an arrangement under which greed will do the least harm; capitalism is that kind of a system"
Milton Friedman."

Why does the United States of America require a massive standing army? Massive troop deployments are becoming a thing of the past with the technology coming out today.

Yes they thought that after the cold war ended and have found different.

Why do we need a large standing army? The rest of the world.

""What kind of society isn't structured on greed? The problem of social organization is how to set up an arrangement under which greed will do the least harm; capitalism is that kind of a system"
Milton Friedman."

Why is the United States of America required to have Military bases and Soldiers across the World?

We aren't "required".

How exactly has that strategy worked so far after WWII?

Have we had WWIII?

Also Massive Troop Deployment is only required if the Troops themselves are nothing but, Police... Is the United States of America the World Police?

Who else is going to do it? Who else would you want to do it that could do it, China? Russia?

""What kind of society isn't structured on greed? The problem of social organization is how to set up an arrangement under which greed will do the least harm; capitalism is that kind of a system"
Milton Friedman."

Sorry the word "Required" gets thrown a lot for the constant Welfare/Military support we give to our "Allies".

Have we had WWIII?

That's a pretty poor argument or rather a logical fallacy... be the World Police because of the possibility of WWIII occurring if we're not in a hundred plus countries. But with the consistent wars over several decades, coups, faction funding and the Cold War I would consider it comparable to a "WWIII".

Who else is going to do it? Who else would you want to do it that could do it, China? Russia?

Why does it need to be done to begin with? Why do we have to have soldiers in countries that provide protection and gives them the Economic opportunity not to raise an Army so they're able to provide extra benefits to their citizens while US Taxpayers are given the bill? Why is it that we have the need to create "Pro-American" Governments that are typically tyrannical in nature and cause the deaths of thousands? I've yet to see a valid reason for a "World Police" other than the fear of a massive war or some pseudo defense strategy. If you haven't been looking around... the country is going to hell and inflation is kicking in. Is it still sane to be the World Police?

Last edited by Roelath; Feb 14 2012 at 01:32 PM.

"As soon as men decide that all means are permitted to fight an evil, then their good becomes indistinguishable from the evil that they set out to destroy."

With the current tax rates why are you not happy that many people in the top 1% already hand over more then 50% of their income to the goevenment via all they taxes they pay?

What about the freeloaders who pay NO federal income taxes

and some of them get a refund on taxes they did not pay

It is time to get them to start putting something in the pot

I suffer from many things... a powerful thirst for a paloma about now, for example... but wealth envy certainly is not one of them.

The people at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder put a lot into the pot...they put their hard work and their sweat and they get very little back for their efforts. I have worked at many different jobs in my life and the ones where I worked the hardest were invariably the ones that paid the least. American society does not care about whether the little guys at the bottom of the ladder who work at menial lousy paying jobs and, by so doing, make it possible for the rest of us to have someone cook a meal for us and eat it on clean dishes, with clean napkins... or have someone mow our lawn or clean our home or weed our garden... We make it seem like we are supportive of them when they sign up for military service, but, when their tour is done, we cast them aside and do nothing to help them reintegrate into our world in any meaningful way unless it's back to menial labor.